WD's G-Technology announces 10TB G-Drive USB-C

Western Digital subsidiary G-Technology has announced an external hard drive designed for devices with only a USB 3.1 Type C connector, as with Apple's latest MacBook: the G-Drive USB-C.

Designed primarily for use with Apple's latest-generation MacBook and MacBook Pro families of laptops, though compatible with anything supporting the USB Mass Storage standard and with a free USB 3.1 Type-C port or, with the additional cable provided, a USB Type A port, the G-Drive USB-C is unsurprisingly housed in shiny aluminium. Within that housing is a mechanical 5,400 RPM Western Digital hard drive with a 4TB, 8TB, or whopping 10TB unformatted capacity and a claimed transfer rate of up to 195MB/s - though under what conditions this performance is reached has not been detailed.

As a Mac-centric drive, the G-Drive USB-C comes formatted for Apple's macOS platform; G-Technology is keen to point out, however, that it can be quickly and easily reformatted for use with alternative operating systems. Doing so, however, loses a key feature: The drive is ready for use with Apple's Time Machine backup system for instant thought-free backups of any macOS system to which it is attached.

The G-Drive USB-C also has another trick up its sleeve, and one which is only available when using the Type-C connector: It can charge devices compatible with the USB 3.1 Power Delivery specification, including Apple's latest laptops. When attached to a compatible device, the G-Drive can supply up to 45W of power - which is a necessity for the single-port MacBook, which can otherwise only be charged and connected to an external storage device with the purchase of an optional USB hub. If you're using the USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.1-compatible Type-A connector, though, you'll lose this functionality.

UK pricing for the G-Drive USB-C has yet to be confirmed, with US pricing set at $199.95 for the 4TB, $349.95 for the 8TB, and $499.95 for the 10TB (around £160, £280, and £400 respectively, excluding taxes). More information is available on the official product page.